Pipe-thread protector



July 25, 1939- B. ENGsTRoM 2,157,235

, PIPE-THREAD PROTECTOR original Filed Feb. 17, 1937 Ma. 0- un ATTORNEYS.

Patented July 25, 1939 PrmzNT OFFICE PIPE-THREAD PROTECTOR Birger Engstrom, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments of sixty one-hundredths to The National Supply Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application February 17, 1937, Serial No.

126,183, now Patent No. 2,141,381, dated December 27, 1938. Divided and this application June 23, 1938, Serial No. 215,404

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a protector of the type used on the ends of pipes, rods and the `like to protect the threads or outer surface of such articles at the end thereof from being injured when they are being handled, stored or otherwise treated, and more particularly towhat is commonly known as a pipe thread protector. This application is a division-of my application Serial No. 126,183, led February 17, 1937, now Patent No. 2,141,381, dated December 27, 1938.

`An object of the invention is to provide a protector of this character which is sturdily and dependably constructed, easy to apply and remove, and at the same time adapted to be rigidly and securely held in place when installed.

A further object is to provide a protector which is. capable of being useda plurality of times and in which all of the parts are permanently connected together so that the possibility of some of them being lost or misplaced is eliminated.

These and various other objects as well as the various other novel features and advantages of the invention will be apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a side view of one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 top and bottom plan views, respectively, showing the protector in its closed position; Fig. 4 a sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2; Fig. 5a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the clamping toggle in its released position; and Figs. 6 and 7 fragmentary plan and sectional views, respectively, of the latch shown in Figs. l to 5.for holding the clamping mechanism in its closed position.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral I designates a threaded pipe end shown by way of example and the numeral 2 a split sleeve which forms the body proper of the protector. By being split this sleeve is adapted to be expanded and readily slid over the end of the pipe. To both expand and tightly clamp it on the pipe it is provided at its ends with a novel toggle mechanism 3 as will presently appear.

In order to prevent any jamming of the threads on a pipe or injury to the outer surface of a non-threaded article which is being protected, due to blows or impact when the protector is in place and to which the-article may be subjected in service, a resilient lining or packing 4 is secured in any suitable manner to the inner surface of the sleeve 2. While various materials may be used for this purpose, a composite cork compound is recommended, such having been found especially good for such purpose. As shown, the

exposed surface of this packing may be provided with a thin layer 5 of lead to render it Waterproof and non-absorbent, and being soft, it read` ily adapts itself to the shape of the pipe threads or any pipe surface and does not detract from the other protecting qualities of the packing.

, The toggle mechanism 3 for expanding the sleeve to facilitate sliding the protector onto and removing it from the protected article, as well as for contracting it to secure it thereto, coinprises principally a clamping lever 6 and a connecting link l.V This lever is pivotally connected at one end by a pin 8 to a hinge plate 9 which is attached to one end of the sleeve 2. The con-l necting link 'I is in turn connected at one end to a pivot pin I0 carried by the lever 6 at a point spaced outwardly from its anchored end and at its other end to a pivot pin Il carried by a hinge plate l2 secured to the other end of the sleeve. The spacing of the pins 8 and Il, and 8 and I0, as well as the length of the lever is, of course, so proportioned as to provide the necessary expansion and contraction of the sleeve and to do so without necessitating any undue exertion in applying and removing the protector. The parts are also so proportioned that the force which pulls on the pin IU, through the link l, has a tendency to open the sleeve 2 when the line of such force is above the pin 8, and to keep the lever tightly against the sleeve in the closed position when the line of such force passes below such pin.

In comparatively large protectors, such -as illustrated, the link 'l may be provided with aplurality of spaced arms 'la and lb, if desired, to distribute the application of the forces applied to the sleeve. To also provide the protector with a smooth exterior when closed, these arms la and ib may be joined together by a cross arm 'lc which is adapted to enclose the space between the points where the lever 6 and the link 'l are connected. In addition, to protectthe link 'l and the lever 6 from being bent or caved in when subjected to impacts between the pivot pins 8, lll and ll where they are normally spaced from the sleeve, solid strips |3a, l3b and I3c may be secured to the outer face of the sleeve 2 at such points to provide a metal-to-metal contact between the link and lever and the protector when the protector is closed.

For locking the lever 6 in its closed position to prevent the protector being accidentally released, a releasable latch is provided. While this may take any suitable form as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, it comprises a bolt VI4 provided with an oblong-shaped head l5 which is mounted for pivotal movement in the sleeve 2. To receive the head l5 an opening I6 of the saine shape is provided in the outer end of the lever. Hence when the lever is closed over the bolt with the head aligned with such slot and the head thereafter rotated 90, its shoulders are caused to engage the lever andlock it against the sleeve. So that the.

head will not project beyond the outer surface of the lever where it may be fouled, it may be made only half as thick as the lever and the slot i6 countersunk to receive it as shown.

To facilitate fitting the protector on therprotected article by limiting the extent to which the sleeve can be forced onto the article, and to also adapt it to function as a means for preventing injury to the extreme end of the article, an inwardly turned flange I1 is provided on the outer end of sleeve 2. A small inwardly turned flange I8 may also be provided on the other end of the sleeve toengage the lower end of the packing liner l and function as a defiector Vt0 prevent the protector from dislodgment by blows acting against such end.

TheY inside diameter of the protector must of course be designed to properly t the article being protected so that when the lever is open the protector will readily slide onto and off the article and, when closed, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it will be clamped in place sufficiently firmly to positively prevent its being knocked or jarred olf.

It Will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that a protector constructed in the manner outlined may be readily and securely applied or removed and used over a number of times. lt will be further obvious that it can be adapted for use on the interior as well as the exterior of a tube and has the advantage that all of its parts are permanently connected together, Also, as will be apparent in squeezing the soft liner into the threads with the force exerted, the threads or other surface will be kept free from dirt, grit and moisture, and when the protector is removed the threads or other surface will be in the same condition as when the protector was put on.

It is to be also understood that while the protector has been more particularly described for use in protecting threads, it'is likewise usable for protecting any form of surface, and such is contemplated by the appended claims` According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to be its best embodiment. However, I desire to haveit understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

l. A device for protecting the end of a cylindrical article comprising a split sleeve adapted to fit over the end of the article, a lever pivotally connected at one end to said sleeve adjacent one end thereof and adapted when closed to overlie the portion of the sleeve immediately adjoining its said end, a bifurcated connecting link pivotally connected at one end to said lever at a point spaced from the ends thereof, the opposite end of said link being connected to the opposite end of said sleeve, and a strap extending transversely Vof the arms of said connecting link adapted to overlie the space between the points where the lever and the link arms are connected to the sleeve when the lever is closed.

. v2. A device for protecting the end of a cylindrical article comprising a split sleeve adapted to fit over the end of the article, a lever pivotally connected to said sleeve adjacent one end thereof and adapted when closed to overlie the portion of the sleeve immediately adjoining said end, a connecting link pivotally connected at one end to the opposite end of the sleeve, the opposite end of said link being pivotally connected to said lever at a point spaced from its two ends, and a reinforcing member connected to the sleeve between -the points of pivotal connection of the lever and connecting link with said sleeve to insure against bending of the connecting link and lever at such point due to impacts in service.

3. An outside pipe thread protector comprising a split sleeve adapted to surround the threaded end of a pipe, a lever pivotally connected to said sleeve adjacent one end thereof and adapted when closed to overlie the portion of the sleeve immediately adjoining said end, a connecting link pivotally connected at one end to the opposite end of the sleeve, the opposite end of said link being pivotally connected to said lever at a point spaced from its two ends, a strap extending transversely of said connecting link and adapted when the lever is closed to overlie the space between the points where the lever and the link are connected to the sleeve, and an elongate reinforcing member secured to the sleeve directly beneath said strap to prevent bending of the connecting link at such point due to impacts in service.

BIRGER ENGS'IROM. 

